You're right, Tom. I agree with almost all of that. I guess this is a case where I'm the target market, so I don't see some of the faults. Still, I'm happy in that market, so I don't have any complaints.

But I want to address two things you mentioned. First, I agree that there is going to be far too much crap on the Android app market. But right now I have a Blackberry, and I have been shocked at the poor selection of free apps for the most basic of things. Even paid apps are pretty poor. And this is for the number one smartphone in the country. So far I've read up on twice as many Android apps that appeal to me as I've seen for my RIM device, and that's just the free ones.

Second, I'm a fan of standards as well, but like you said, I don't see any developing in these online data services. I'm sorry, but paying $100 a year for MobileMe seems like a complete ripoff to me. Android will do that for free. Sure, you have to be in the Google environment, but maybe that's worth $100 a year to some people.

Originally Posted By: drakino
where as the internet core is built on standards agreed upon by many companies (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP, IMAP, etc).

Can someone explain the seeming refusal of so many companies to support IMAP? What the hell? In the past week I've found out that Yahoo doesn't, and neither does one of the biggest cable companies in my area, Cox. I've had two people ask me why they can't set up their Blackberrys to work with their Cox and/or Yahoo addresses so that they're synchronized.

Originally Posted By: tman
T-Mobile got an exclusive on Android handsets? If not then its just that T-Mobile contracted with HTC to buy the G1.

Apple use O2 in the UK and they're terrible. From what I hear of AT&T in the US, they're not much better.

I shouldn't have implied that Google had anything to do with T-Mobile being first to market. They do seem to be supporting them quite a bit, but I'm sure that's just what they have to do to support themselves. You're probably right, they got an exclusive from HTC.

And no, AT&T is in no way as bad as T-Mobile, both from reports I've heard and personal experience. I live just outside a metropolitan area, and in the last 6 years I've had contracts on each of the major cell providers. If I had to rank them in combined coverage and quality (from best to worst) it would probably go: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile.
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Matt